Jerry West Staying With Lakers

Executive vice president Jerry West will remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Riverside Press Enterprise reported Wednesday.

Quoting sources, the newspaper said West has agreed to a five-year contract worth $3.5 million per year with the NBA team.

West wouldn't comment, except to say, "... You're probably going to see me around here for a while."

West told the newspaper he planned an announcement about his plans Thursday. The newspaper quoted two sources who spoke on the condition that they not be identified that West met with owner Jerry Buss and cut the deal last week after West returned from a vacation in West Virginia.

West is widely regarded as one of the best executives in basketball, if not all of sports. He had said he would make a decision by Aug. 31 about his future with the Lakers. That date came and went, and West still was in his office signing memorabilia Tuesday, looking satisfied over his status.

"I know you guys (the media) have a job to do, and I respect that," West told the Press Enterprise. "But I'll have something to say later."

West and Buss had a falling out during the season amid reports that Buss hadn't made deferred payments owed to West. Reports said Buss owed West as much as $4 million and kept putting off the payments.

West held a news conference late in the season and said he would consider resigning because every game "is like a trip to the dentist" and he "just wants to get away."

West was adamant at the time that his differences with Buss weren't about money, but published reports later indicated that wasn't the case.

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